heroes and thieves
chapter eleven - more than this (part I)


A few days later, Hiyono finds herself having tea with Eyes Rutherford in his loft.

It's a strange, awkward situation, she thinks, but it's also absolutely necessary.

"You see, Rutherford-san," she is saying, holding a delicate little teacup in her hands, choosing to look at the amber liquid inside instead of at the young man across from her, "Narumi-san... well, it seems like he does know who's been paying for his hospital bills. Even if your intention was to avoid speaking about it…"

Eyes laughs low; it's a sound that she's not used to hearing, but she's glad for it. "I thought that he might come to the correct conclusion, eventually."

"Narumi-san has a lot of pride." She bites at her bottom lip. "But... because he needs just a little bit more time in the hospital, and knows that he will also need physical therapy... I don't think that he will refuse your kindness."

"He has done a great deal of good for the Blade Children. I see my contributions as an absolute necessity."

"Ah. Well, the truth is, Rutherford-san, I..." She swallows, finally meeting his eyes with hers. "I was hoping that you would be able to make one final... contribution."

He nods. "Of course. How may I assist?"

"Um, well..." She fidgets. She can't believe she's doing this. But she really has no choice. "Narumi-san has decided to leave the hospital as soon as he can. He says that he doesn't want to spend any more time there. He is still aware that... that his health might decline, but... it seems that he is determined to go home, even if there is that risk."

"I see."

"But the problem is... um... well, Narumi-san will only leave on one condition. And - and it's really - well, I will completely understand if you don't agree, Rutherford-san, but..." She sighs, looking down into her tea again. "He's been saying that he doesn't want to live with Kiyotaka-san or Madoka-oneesan anymore. And if they found out about this, I'm sure they would be mad, and cause problems. But Narumi-san wants to live independently. He's very determined. But if his family won't agree..."

Eyes seems to have already done the mental math. "You would like me to secure a living space for him?"

"Y - yes. Something like that. But knowing all that you have contributed already, Rutherford-san..." She shakes her head. "I was hoping to ask you for a loan. Just enough so that I am able to locate a suitable apartment and purchase a few necessities. I have been working as a transcriptionist for a few weeks, and the pay should be enough that I am able to cover Narumi-san's rent and groceries. But I haven't had enough time to save money for a deposit, and I won't receive any sort of down payment back from the apartment I am occupying now." She glances up at him. "So... that is why I am asking for your help. I know Narumi-san won't be happy, when he finds out that I did this. But if I am able to pay back any money I borrow from you, I know he will be satisfied."

The pianist looks at her in silence for a moment - then, with a nod, rises from his couch. "Please wait here a moment," he says, moving to exit the room. He returns quickly, carrying a black leather-bound checkbook and a silver pen, his face blank. "I assume you have done preliminary research on the costs," he says, settling back down into the cushions. "How much will you need?"

She fidgets again. She hates talking about money. It's always made her uncomfortable - probably because she's always had those kinds of conversations with Kiyotaka, and he'd always left the amount of pay she received entirely up to her. "Well," she begins, slowly, "I am looking at one of two buildings within three blocks of the hospital, because Narumi-san will need to continue his physical therapy on a weekly basis. A deposit will range between seven and nine thousand yen - and it seems they are non-refundable. Beyond that, since Narumi-san has some furniture already, he won't need very much, so..."

Eyes raises an eyebrow at her. There's a pause. And then he clicks the pen, opening his checkbook. "Thirty thousand yen."

"R - R - Rutherford-san, that's really - that's too much!"

He chuckles quietly. "I am about to embark on a world tour that will last more than fifteen months. Thirty thousand yen is perhaps one percent of the profit I will receive from my booking fees alone."

"I understand that, but - but - "

"Please." He writes swiftly on the face of the check, his blue eyes fixed on the movement of the pen. "Had you asked, I would have offered far more. I urge you to reconsider your thinking of this as a loan. It is a gift." He tears away the check and hands it to her, nodding once. "But if you insist on repaying me, I will refuse anything beyond the initial deposit. The rest must be kept. Use it as you desire."

She exhales, carefully accepting the thin slip of paper from him, folding it in half. "Narumi-san really won't be happy..."

He chuckles again, placing his checkbook and pen on the small table between them. "I am sure he will understand. If he is willing to accept your generosity, he should accept mine as well."

"Yes... it is true that I'm planning to pay for what I can, but..." She reaches for her purse, tucking the check safely inside. "Another one of Narumi-san's conditions is that I stay with him..."

"Somehow," Eyes says, and smiles as he lifts his teacup, "I had guessed that was the case."


Ayumu is finishing physical therapy when she returns to the hospital; although she finds his room empty and initially plans to wait for him there, a nurse recognizes her and insists on escorting her down two floors to the training room. She's grateful for it, although she's not so sure that he wants her to see him in this condition. But when she arrives and waves hello to him from the door, she's glad to receive a quick wave back. "He's walking much better," the nurse murmurs to her, smiling. "I can't believe how much progress Ayumu-kun has made."

"He's been working very hard." Hiyono watches him move along a raised platform with bars at arm height, his hands gripping the supports tight as he takes steady steps. He's definitely favoring his left leg today, she notices, but she's not concerned. "He wants to be released from the hospital as soon as possible."

"It's so strange. Just a few months ago, we were afraid that he would never be released…" The young woman smiles wider before turning to leave. "If this is any of your doing, Yuizaki-san, we all owe you our thanks."

"I," she starts, but the nurse is already walking away, and it's probably better if she doesn't say anything anyway. She clears her throat before looking back into the therapy room, and the physical therapist there is nodding her head at Ayumu, declaring that they've finished for the day. He nods back, and Hiyono waits patiently as they exchange a few words, a set of crutches and a towel being passed to the young man as he pulls himself off the platform. It's a few minutes before the therapist leaves and Ayumu comes to the entrance of the training room, a towel around his neck and sweat still shining on his forehead. "Hello, Narumi-san," Hiyono greets him, swallowing. "How was your therapy?"

"You tell me," he says, arching an eyebrow at her. "Do I look like I'm walking yet?"

She's not going to lie. She's a horrible liar. "I think the crutches will help for a little while longer…"

"Eh. I figured. My leg is annoying, going in and out like this." He frowns; then, as if he's just realized that she is here - and not waiting in his hospital room like she usually does, on the days he has therapy - quickly relaxes his expression. "What is it?"

"Well, I…" She clears her throat. "I... I got us an apartment, Narumi-san."

He looks at her in silence for a moment, studying her face, perhaps trying to figure out if she is lying (and of course, she's not). She waits, and he finally shifts on his crutches to get a better look at her face. "How?"

She smiles; she can't help it. She just can't. "It's a trade secret."

"I should have known you'd say that." He chuckles. "Who helped you?"

"Well..."

"Out with it." He grunts, shifting on his crutches again, glancing at his leg. "I know you didn't have enough saved up to pay for the whole thing. That's why you were fretting about it so much yesterday."

She sighs. She is beginning to hate how perceptive he is. "Rutherford-san. But," she adds, quickly, seeing him open his mouth, "it is a loan. I will be paying him back. Even if he tries to refuse."

"Eh. At least it wasn't my brother." He shrugs. "That guy has thrown too much money at me already, but if he was willing to do it again, I guess I shouldn't complain. Don't expect to pay him back all on your own, though." He starts to move, hobbling along on his crutches in the direction of the door, and she follows. "As soon as I'm walking without these things, I'm going to get a job."

"Narumi-san. You are not going to get a job. In your condition, the only thing you should be doing - "

" - is resting and focusing on my recovery." She can't see his face, but she thinks he's rolling his eyes. "I'm not content to be treated like a cripple when I'm perfectly capable of work. Tsukiomi issued me a graduation certificate months ago. Enrolling in university may be out of the question, but that certificate is enough to get me a position somewhere. Even if it's washing windows."

"Narumi-san," she says again, mortified. "Washing windows?"

"If you have any better suggestions, Hiyono," he responds, glancing over his shoulder at her, "let's hear it."

"Mou," she sighs, and hurries to catch up to him. She wants to be annoyed by these little spats, but something about them seems so familiar, so right, and so even as she reaches his side and opens her mouth to suggest that he do something sensible, like take a desk job -

"You're smiling," Ayumu announces, derailing her thoughts with no effort whatsoever.

- yes, she is smiling. Because she wouldn't have this, have him, any other way.

"Shut up, Narumi-san."

"Oho. That's no way to talk to me."

"Considering the fact that I just got us an apartment, I think you should be a little nicer to me."

"I haven't said a single mean thing. You're the one who told me to shut up."

"You made a face at me!"

"This is how my face always looks."

"It is not!"

"Are you even paying attention to me? You could be a little more attentive to the person you've supposedly devoted your life to. I'm beginning to rethink my decision to live with you… Aniki might come to visit and find me lying helpless on the floor, abandoned and unfed, while you - "

"Narumi-san."

"Ah, right. I suppose you would be unfed, too, since I'm going to be responsible for all the cooking. Come to think of it, how are you even getting by right now? Do you eat all your meals at the hospital?"

"Narumi-san, if we weren't surrounded by nurses right now, I swear I would trip you…"

"And if we weren't surrounded by nurses all the time, I would consider locking the door to my room and - "

"Do not finish that sentence!"

"All I was going to say was "read a novel in peace and quiet.""

"Somehow," Hiyono says, and shakes her head as she steps into the elevator behind Ayumu, lifting a hand to cover her gradually darkening face, "I just don't believe you…"

"Good," he replies, and grins, leaning forward on his crutches to press the button for his floor. "You're getting better at knowing when I'm lying."